Cancer and a dairy-free diet

Cancer and a dairy-free diet

Despite recent media to the contrary, Cancer Council Australia states that: “Overall the proven health benefits of dairy foods outweigh the unproven harms.”[1]

“The Australian dairy industry is confident our products are highly nutritious and form a core part of a balanced diet,” said Isabel MacNeill, Group Manager – Industry Promotion and Product Innovation at Dairy Australia. The unique combination of nutrients in dairy foods makes them important to our health – no matter what our age. And most Australians actually need to have more dairy foods every day.

Australia’s peak medical body, the National Health and Medical Research Council, encourages Australians to include foods from the dairy food group every day. It states that consumption of milk, cheese and yogurt is linked to a reduced risk of heart disease, stroke, hypertension, type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and colorectal cancer – some of the main causes of death in Australia.

Eliminating an entire core food from your diet comes with its own risks. “People concerned about the impact of diet on their health should seek nutritional advice from a health professional before making a change to your diet – particularly if you’re considering eliminating a core food group,” Ms MacNeill said.

The World Cancer Research Fund is the most reputable source of information on the link between diet, lifestyle and the risk of cancer. Their website confirms that no conclusions can be drawn to link incidence of breast cancer and dairy products.
“We recommend Australians chose dairy foods not just for their taste and affordability, but also their health benefits, and consume it with confidence,” Ms MacNeill said.